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My Happy Ending (song)

"My Happy Ending" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, written by herself and Butch Walker for her second studio album, Under My Skin (2004). Structurally, the song is written in 4/4 style and has a repeated hook in both the chorus and in the intro and outro.

"My Happy Ending"
International single cover
Single by Avril Lavigne
from the album Under My Skin
B-side"Take It"
ReleasedJune 14, 2004 (2004-06-14)
Studio
Genre
Length4:02
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Butch Walker
Avril Lavigne singles chronology
"Don't Tell Me"
(2004) 		"My Happy Ending"
(2004) 		"Nobody's Home"
(2004)
Alternative cover
Japanese physical single cover
Music video
"My Happy Ending" on YouTube

Lavigne wanted "My Happy Ending" to be released as the album's lead single, but the label went with ''Don't Tell Me'' instead.[4] It was then released as the second single in June 2004, becoming a top-five hit in Canada, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom while reaching the top 10 in seven other countries, including the United States, where it outperformed its predecessor by peaking at number nine for four weeks. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the single gold in November 2004.

Critical reception

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"My Happy Ending" has generally received favorable reviews from critics. David Browne of Entertainment Weekly magazine commented "Lavigne herself sounds more burdened; ... the sk8erboi of the first album has turned out to be a selfish, nasty creep who ... treats her like crap".[5] Allmusic highlighted the song as a "track pick" in a review of the album, Under My Skin.[6] Blender also did the same.[7] PopMatters thought "The second single, "My Happy Ending", suffers from a marked similarity to a few recent hits, notably Michelle Branch's "Everywhere" and Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles" (...) The ticklish good humor of "Sk8er Boi" has been subsumed by the sardonic regret of "My Happy Ending".[8]

Juan Manuel compared the song to the music of Linkin Park, stating "It's a bit difficult to find references to Linkin Park in the interviews with Lavigne."[9]

In an AOL Radio listener's poll, "My Happy Ending" was voted Lavigne's third best song.[10] As of September 2015, "My Happy Ending" had sold 1.2 million digital copies in the US.[11]

Accolades

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Key
† Indicates non-competitive categories
Award/Publisher Year Category Result Ref.
Allmusic 2012 Most Significant Post-grunge Songs of All Time † Longlisted [12]
ASCAP Pop Music Awards 2006 Most Performed Song † (valid for Avril Lavigne's songwriting credit) Won [13]
BMI Pop Music Awards 2006 Award-Winning Songs † (valid for Butch Walker's songwriting credit) Won [14]
Capricho Awards 2004 International Song Won [15]
MTV Video Music Awards Japan 2005 Best Female Video Nominated [16]
MuchMusic Video Awards 2005 People's Choice Favourite Canadian Artist Nominated [17]
Radio Disney Music Awards 2004 Best Song to Air Guitar Won [18]

Chart performance

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"My Happy Ending" peaked at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100, spending a total of 25 weeks on the chart.[19] It climbed to number one on the Mainstream Top 40 chart and spent 26 weeks on the listing, and it reached number three on the Adult Top 40, where it also charted for 26 weeks.[20][21] On the Adult Contemporary chart, it peaked at number 37.[22] It was certified gold by the RIAA for selling 500,000 digital copies.[23] As of September 2015, "My Happy Ending" has sold 1.2 million digital copies in the US.[24]

Music video

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Lavigne watches scenes with her ex-boyfriend in the cinema.

The music video for "My Happy Ending" was written and directed by MTV and Grammy winner Meiert Avis. It was shot on location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn[25] and Harlem, New York City. The video begins with Lavigne running down Broadway and entering a cinema (the Commodore Cinemas), where she finds the film playing is a montage of her memories concerning a specific relationship she had. At first, the memories (shown in full color) are happy, depicting Lavigne at the park with her boyfriend, as he hands her a flower and they laugh together. They are also shown goofing off inside a laundromat. However, as Lavigne sings "so much for my happy ending," the memories start losing color. Lavigne and her boyfriend lie in bed together, as she looks at him and he (obviously reeling from a disagreement) stares blankly away.

The relationship culminates during the song's bridge inside a grocery store, where her boyfriend antagonizes her, insisting that he talk to her. He grabs her and tries to pull her into his embrace. Fed up, she turns and pushes him away. She proceeds to run out of the grocery store and down the street (from the beginning of the video), and to a guitar shop where she grabs a guitar and walks to the roof of the building, where she is seen performing with her band. There, she walks past her unapologetic boyfriend without looking at him. Three other girls witness an altercation between Lavigne and her boyfriend in the restaurant and leave with Lavigne as they befriend each other. The theater film tears and the memories end, leaving the final seconds of the video as a close-up on Lavigne in the theater as she tries to decide if the break-up is happy after all.

Lavigne said of the video: "It's about a relationship that doesn't work out, and having to say goodbye to all of the memories and... all that stuff." When asked if the video for "My Happy Ending" actually contains a happy ending, Lavigne said: "I don't know if the video has a happy ending. It kind of depends on how you look at it? In one way, it is because me and 'the guy' in the video aren't together anymore, and I think that's a better thing."

Live performances

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"My Happy Ending" was first performed as part of Lavigne's Live by Surprise Tour, a group of 21 impromptu concerts in shopping malls that ran between March 5, 2004 and April 15, 2004.[26] The song was then performed during the Bonez Tour, the concert tour in support of Under My Skin.[27] "My Happy Ending" was subsequently included in the setlists of Lavigne's later concert tours, including The Best Damn Tour (2008),[28] the Black Star Tour (2011–2012),[29] The Avril Lavigne Tour (2013–2014),[30] the Head Above Water Tour (2019),[31] the Love Sux Tour (2022–2023),[32] and the Greatest Hits Tour (2024).[33]

On August 26, 2005, Lavigne performed the song in Bryant Park as part of Good Morning America's televised "Summer Concert" series.[34] Lavigne performed the song during the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics, alongside "Girlfriend".[35]

Track listings and formats

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Credits and personnel

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Credits and personnel are adapted from the Under My Skin album liner notes.[41]

Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[76] Gold 35,000^
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[77] Platinum 60,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[78] Platinum 80,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[79] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[80] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release dates and formats for "My Happy Ending"
Region Date Format Label(s) Ref.
United States June 14, 2004 Contemporary hit radio
  • Arista
  • RCA
 [81]
Germany June 24, 2004 CD Arista [82]
France June 29, 2004 [83]
Japan July 7, 2004 BMG Japan [57]
Australia July 19, 2004 Arista [84][85]
United Kingdom August 2, 2004 [86]

Usage in media

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"My Happy Ending" was used for the movie Bring It On: All or Nothing. The song was also used in the trailer for A Lot Like Love with Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet.[citation needed]

The song was used in a season four episode of Smallville, "Facade" (October 6, 2004) and in a season five episode of Gilmore Girls, with Dean's little sister listening to it.[87] The song was used several episodes of MTV programs Date My Mom and Next.[citation needed]

The song has also appeared in video games, and has been featured in three major karaoke series: Lips, SingStar, and Karaoke Revolution.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ Snapes, Laura (January 14, 2019). "Still complicated: Avril Lavigne: 'I've had to fight people on this journey'". The Guardian. Retrieved January 15, 2019. She and co-writer Butch Walker kept writing until the last minute, producing the bittersweet grunge anthem My Happy Ending.
  2. ^ Sensitive Thugs: 25 Songs for a Lonely Valentine's Day–Avril Lavigne "My Happy Ending" (2004) "This post-grunge banger got heavy rotation in the 'burbs."
  3. ^ Griffiths, George. "Avril Lavigne's Bite Me is a confident return to form for the pop-punk princess". Official Charts. Retrieved November 10, 2021. she's worked through angsty post-grunge (My Happy Ending)
  4. ^ Snapes, Laura (January 14, 2019). "Still complicated: Avril Lavigne: 'I've had to fight people on this journey'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  5. ^ Browne, David (May 24, 2004). "Under My Skin (2004)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  6. ^ Thomas Erlewine, Stephen. "Under My Skin: Avril Lavigne". Allmusic. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
  7. ^ "Review: Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin". Blender. Archived from the original on December 19, 2010.
  8. ^ "Avril Lavigne: Under My Skin". PopMatters. August 23, 2004. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  9. ^ Freire, Juan Manuel (2024). "Las 10 mejores canciones de Avril Lavigne". Santander Music (in Spanish). Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  10. ^ Cheung, Nadine. "Top 10 Avril Lavigne Songs". AOL Radio. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
  11. ^ Trust, Gary (September 6, 2015). "Ask Billboard: Avril Lavigne's Best-Selling Songs & Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
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  32. ^ Baltin, Steve (February 21, 2022). "Sunday Conversation: Avril Lavigne On 'Love Sux,' Her Relationship With Her Fans And Being Grateful". Forbes. Retrieved July 26, 2024. But I haven't played "My Happy Ending" since my tour at the end of 2019 in the fall. And yeah it was funny because in band rehearsals, I was like, "Wait, I just need to make sure I still remember this." But yeah, it's crazy. It feels great to just to sing my babies, my old babies, to bring them back out and those are songs that did well for me too.
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